The Republican journal., 1887-12-08
Rum and Retrogression.

The Progressive Age, which really ought to
he called the Retrogressive Age for its unceas-
ing opposition to every moral reform and
practical Improvement, had a long editorial
last week in advocacy of a license law, and
proposes the adoption Of the license law pass
ed by the Maine Legislature in 1886. 1t is of
course well known that this law was repealed
by the succeeding Legislature; that each cgis-
laturc since has cndeavored to strengthen the
prohibitory laws, and that the Constitution of
the State now reads: 1.-The manufacture of
Intoxicating liquors. not including cider, and
the sale and keeping for sale of intoxicating
liquors. are AMI shall be forever prohibited"
This amendment to the Constitution, adopted
by large majority. would be regarded by
most persons as a formidable obstacle in the
way of license; but the Age makes light of it.
and suggests that "A license law may be pass
ell by the next legislature. which body may, at
the same time, submit the repeal of the late
constitutional amendment. and the act may be
made contingent upon the majority of the
people >anctioning the amendment proposed.
Short work can then he made to undo the
work of those who would deprive the people
of the privilege Of amending their laws"
The people of Maine through their represent
tatvcs in the Legislature have repeatedly
shown their adherence to prohibition that this
proposition to return to the license law of 1886
i hardly worth serious consideration. 1t is
simply further proof of the alliance Of the
Democracy with the rum interest, and, As
ARA, oft 1,a ftrr hat he
Democratic party i, a party of the past and
not Of the present. The story that there are
Democratic voters who at each Presidential
election east their ballots for jackson ma. not
be true in literal sense, but Is true SYMBOL
caly. The organ Of no other party would 90
To the records Of the past TO dig out Icing
since repealed law. the bantling of an hour,
and seriously pronoSe that grown-up people
should readopt This is as futile il
would be to invest . rotary Bayarl in the
garment, OF some dea and gone states
man, with the idea Of tran forming him into a
patriotic American with a proper regard for
the protection of America. citizens abroad
and of maintaining the honor of our flag.
But. naturally. things look differently to man
who opposes schools and educational institute
ton> Of all kinds. who begrudge> pensions to
the men who saved the Union. and mainten-
ancc to the children of those who laid down
their lives for the cause: who, i'll short, is
"agin' everything that conduccs TO the moral
welfare and material prosperity Of Il people.
No other could advocate a return to such
scenes as we find depicted in a recent issue Of
the Camden Herald. That paper says:
We remember the time when. As a boy. we
used 20 ride out into the country within
radius of fifteen miles of camden and see the
good old license law in full operation. AT
nearly every corner Was the old rum tavern
Where men met to drink rum, play cards. swap
horses and neglect their farms. their wives and
children. Thank Sod. those horrible scenes
have gone never to return and the blessed re-
suits of prohibition for the seller and total
abstinence for the tlrinker are seen i'll these
very villages and hamlets then cursed by the
rum demon. Instead of tumhic-down barns.
addressed and ill-treated women and ragged.
hungry children. peace. plenty and happiness
smile On every hillside and in every valley
are happy and prosperous homes and fertile
farms and commodiou>. well painted farm build
ings delight the eye. Facts are stubborn things,
and the man who asserts that Maine is not
more temperate state than any license state is
either an ignorant or Wilfully wicked >ianderer.
The Boston Herald. which certainly i not a
prohibition organ, but rather TO be suspected
of leaning in the opposite direction, says
cditoriay:
The Prolibitioni>t> al Worcester are able to
appeal with some effect to the showing made
by statistics as indicating the increase of
drunkenness under the present license system.
When the no-license law was in force. there
was a perceptihe falling oil in the number Of
eases of incompetence which called for police